Men’s hockey adds two more recruits to 2019-2020 class

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The Robert Morris men’s hockey team discusses a play during a game against Niagara Nov. 2, 2018. (David Auth/RMU Sentry Media) Photo credit: David Auth

Tyler Gallo, Contributor

PITTSBURGH– On Tuesday morning, the Robert Morris men’s hockey team announced via Twitter, that they have two new players joining them for the 2019-2020 season. The recruits are Santeri Hartikainen of the Corpus Christi IceRays (NAHL) and Bradley Stonnell of the Drumheller Dragons (AJHL). Each player spent time in the junior “A” level this year, and both were major contributors for their teams.

Santeri Hartikainen, a forward who hails from Helsinki, Finland, spent the 2018-19 season with the Corpus Christi IceRays of the North American Hockey League. In 59 games, he recorded 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points, tied for 25th in the NAHL. The IceRays will head into the NAHL’s Robertson Cup Playoffs as the 4th seed this week. Hartikainen knows the ice well, as evidenced by his 0.9 points per game average. He began his career with hometown HIFK, and then attended the Groton School in Massachusetts and played there. He will now be the second player from Europe on the Colonials roster, joining Frenchman Justin Addamo.

Bradley Stonnell, a defenseman from Surrey, British Columbia, spent the 2018-19 season with the Drumheller Dragons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Stonnell, who is a solid offensive threat, contributed 25 points (8 goals, 17 assists) in 27 games this season, both regular season and playoffs, for the Dragons. In his AJHL career of three seasons, Stonnell has recorded 87 points in 127 games and has moved the puck well. He has also played for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the United States Hockey League, the United States’ highest junior hockey league.

Both players will look to contribute to the 2019-2020 roster and are very solid additions that RMU has recruited. Each player has drawn praise from the Colonials’ coaching staff and will look to have big roles on next year’s team.